BP may need the arts, but the arts do not need BP. If people in the theatre world stand up for what they believe in, we can end this destructive relationship and remove the filthy stain of oil sponsorship from our beloved cultural institutions.
Now is the summer of our discontent
In the weeks leading up to the Olympics we, the Reclaim Shakespeare Company, plan to orchestrate a campaign of sound and fury, signifying something. We hope that theatre-goers across the country will join us in tearing the BP logo from their programmes and presenting them back to the theatre as a sign of their displeasure.
We encourage others who feel strongly about this issue to engage in performances of their own, either inside or outside BP-sponsored events.
Click here to download a script you could use.
Click here or here to download a flyer you could use.
Get the latest news on the campaign here.
Do we protest too much?
Nay, sirrah! We are just one group amongst many who are determined to get BP and other oil companies out of the arts, culture and sport. Here are some other campaigns we love:
Liberate Tate: Aiming to free art from the grips of the oil industry primarily focusing on Tate, the UK’s leading art museum, and its sponsorship deal with BP.
Greenwash Gold: Vote for the worst Olympic sponsor! A campaign developed by London Mining Network, Bhopal Medical Appeal and UK Tar Sands Network to highlight the destructive practices of three key Olympic sponsors: Rio Tinto, Dow Chemical and BP.
Rising Tide UK: A network of small groups and individuals dedicated to taking local action and building a movement against climate change. Currently targeting Shell’s sponsorship of the arts.
Art Not Oil: For creativity, climate justice and an end to oil industry sponsorship of the arts.
Platform: Combining the transformatory power of art with the tangible goals of campaigning, the rigour of in-depth research with the vision to promote alternative futures. Including the wondrous ‘Tate à Tate’ audio tour.
UK Tar Sands Network: Creative campaigning in partnership with Indigenous communities affected by the Tar Sands oil developments in Canada.
BP White Swan: Guerilla ballet troupe who performed a pop-up and rather oily version of Swan lake at BP’s Summer Screen in Trafalgar Square.